Restoring the Unity riverbank: a volunteer-led project in Varanasi

The Unity riverbank has been used as an informal dump for years. This January, 86 neighbors turned up for a first cleanup, filling 129 bags in a single morning. Now we want to restore it for good. We have a plan agreed with the municipal water board, including native species selected by a local botanist. The area floods more each year, and fish have returned for the first time in a decade after our first cleanup. Restoring it will protect homes and bring back shade. All the labor is volunteered. We just need materials. Funds buy saplings, gloves, bags, hire of a skip, and signage. Where the $300 goes: • Native saplings and stakes: $145 • Tools and protective gear: $90 • Signage and educational materials: $65 Thanks for reading all this. - Venkat